Lawn mower races unpredictable – by design

AMBOY — As Norm Olstad of Amboy peered over two lawn mowers, he was fairly certain that one of them would prevail in an upcoming race. Chad Kuschel and his father, Mike Kuschel, were about to ride them in a four-person contest.

Because of the relatively large, 8-horsepower engines on the lawn mowers, the father and son seemed locked to finish first and second.

“These guys will be the ones to beat today,” Olstad said.

Dozens of competitors revved their engines Sunday in the 23rd year of the lawn mower races at the Amboy Territorial Days celebration, featuring machines that were converted from yard maintenance supplies to racing vehicles (with the blades removed). While unique, the machines can break down in races, which only adds to the intrigue, said Bruce Burd of Mount Vernon.

“Just have a good, strong engine and don’t crash. You might end up in first place,” Burd said.

Burd has been creating and racing lawn mowers for 20 years. Those who build the machines like to experiment with various styles, including different pulleys, steering handles and engines.

“They’re just good old boys,” Burd said of the riders. “This is all what you have laying around in your garage.”

Several lawn mowers created by Burd were involved in Sunday’s races. Some looked more like their original iterations than others.

“It doesn’t have to look a certain way,” said Jim McCracken, a fellow rider. “You look around, none of these look the same.”

One of Burd’s mowers, on the other hand, was repainted with a green color and a Sasquatch face on the front. Its rider, Levi Weppler, bought the machine from Burd, liked the color green and had the face painted on the front to create a more aggressive appearance.

“We can kind of see the personalities that ride them,” Burd said.

Primarily, though, the annual event is not just a chance to demonstrate building and painting skills, but a competition.

The Kuschels lined up to race their lawn mowers. Chad Kuschel got out to an early lead, one that he wouldn’t relinquish.

“She’s moving really good,” Chad Kuschel said, “got a good jump-off.”

His father wasn’t so lucky, however, as a belt broke during the race and ended any victory hopes. Chad Kuschel’s lawn mower, like his father’s before that race, looked like it was prepared for more action, but it would depend on the design holding up in competition.

“I hope so,” Chad Kuschel said. “That’s half the battle.”